ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HICCUPS

In healthy people, hiccups usually go away by themselves with no serious effects after that. Whenever hiccups continue, however, they may cause social embarrassment and distress, and if prolonged may result in speech, eating, and sleeping disorders.

Hiccups can be described as brief, irritable spasms of the diaphragm that can occur for a few seconds or minutes. They infrequently last longer in normal individuals without any underlying medical problem.

Hiccups is rarely a medical emergency. If hiccups last for more than 3 hours, occur with severe abdominal pain, fever, shortness of breath, vomiting, spitting up blood, or feeling as if the throat is going to close up, the person should seek medical attention.

A person should see a doctor if the hiccups become chronic and persistent (if they last more than 3 hours), or if they affect sleeping patterns, interfere with eating, or cause reflux of food or vomiting.

 Many conditions are associated with hiccups, but none has been shown to be the cause of hiccups.

The following are some conditions that may cause hiccup in humans:

a)  If a person eats too fast, he or she can swallow air along with food.

b)  Smoking cigarettes or chewing gum also can cause a person to swallow air and get hiccups.

c)  Any other practices that might irritate the diaphragm such as eating too much (especially fatty foods) or drinking too much (alcohol or carbonated drinks) can make a person prone to having hiccups.

In these instances, mentioned above, the stomach, which sits underneath and adjacent to the diaphragm, is distended or stretched. As they occur in relation to eating and drinking.

Hiccup's are sometimes thought to be a reflex action to protect a person from choking.

d)  Strokes or brain tumors involving the brain stem, and some chronic medical disorders (such as renal failure) are reported to cause hiccups too; trauma to the brain, meningitis, and encephalitis also may cause hiccups.

e)  Damage to the vagus or phrenic nerve may cause hiccups to last a long time.

f)  Problems with the liver, including swelling, infection, or masses can cause irritation of the diaphragm, which can cause hiccups.

g)  Some medications that can cause acid reflux may also have hiccups as a side effect. Most benzodiazepines, including diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax) and lorezepam (Ativan) can cause hiccups. In addition, medications such levodopa (Larodopa), nicotine, and ondansetron (Zofran) can cause hiccups. Other medications that can cause hiccups include levodopa, methyldopa (Aldomet), nicotine, ondansetron (Zofran), barbiturates, opioid pain relievers, corticosteroids, anesthesia, or other chemotherapy medications.

h)  Noxious fumes can also trigger hiccup symptoms.

i) A baby may hiccup after crying or coughing. This is common in babies in the first year. In some instances, babies with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) could be more prone to hiccups.

j)  Anxiety and stress can induce both short and long-term hiccups

However,  diagnosis of hiccups is based on physical evaluation. Laboratory testing is rarely necessary unless the hiccups are suspected to be a symptom of an associated medical condition. The tests to diagnose the associated medical condition will be done and tests will vary according to the associated condition.

HOW TO QUICKLY GET RID OF HICCUPS?

There are a variety of home remedies to resolve hiccups, which include holding your breath,... to drinking a glass of water quickly etc.
The common effect to most of these remedies is that carbon dioxide builds up in the blood or stimulating the vagus nerve will stop hiccups. Medical care is rarely needed to cure hiccups. If a person has hiccups for more than two days, they should seek medical care.

WHY HICCUPS?

The reason these remedies are thought to work is that carbon dioxide build-up in the blood usually stop hiccups, which is what happens when a person holds breath for example.
Stimulation of the vagus nerve (the nerve that runs from the brain to the stomach): Also, when the Vagus nerve is stimulated, hiccups can be alleviated (this is what is happening when a person drinks water or pulls on their tongue).

TRY THESE METHODS AT HOME TO GET RID OF THE HICCUPS:

Hold your breath.

Drink a glass of water quickly.

Have someone frighten you (or better, surprise) you

Use smelling salts.

Pull hard on your tongue.

Place one-half teaspoon of dry sugar on the back of the tongue. (Repeat this process 3 times at 2-minute intervals, if necessary use corn syrup, not sugar , in young children.)

"stick a finger in the ear;"

tickling the palate with a swab;

Swallowing a tablespoon full of honey (this distracts the person with the hiccups and may help the diaphragm relax).

However, a person should only try those methods they are comfortable with, and be aware that some methods are not suitable for infants (honey, sugar methods), elderly with swallowing problems, and others with health problems.

You may contact your doctor if they fail to stop the hiccups or it gets worse.